DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's soccer team will conclude its four-game road trip to begin the season this weekend as the Huskies travel east to visit Navy on Friday, Sept. 2, and Maryland-Baltimore County on Sunday, Sept. 4.

The Huskies and Midshipmen will kickoff at 6 p.m., CT on Friday night while NIU and UMBC will square off at 3 p.m., CT on Sunday afternoon.

"All that matters right now is Friday, so our priority is Navy," said NIU head coach Eric Luzzi. "They are good. They have a new coach, and a lot of times that brings a natural, new energy. They are a very high energy team, they are a relatively athletic team and a team that, if you allow them time on the ball and allow them to get a rhythm, they are a pretty good soccer team.

"We know it is going to be a stern test for our guys but we just had a great session here today and I think our guys are in a good place and ready to get after it with a good performance tomorrow night."

NIU's trip to Maryland follows a pair of road games last weekend that saw the Huskies visit SIU Edwardsville and Marquette. NIU opened with a 1-1 draw at SIUE in which sophomore Max Voss (Huls, Germany/Staedtisches Gymnasium Herten) recorded his first collegiate goal last Friday (Aug. 26) before falling, 4-0, at Marquette on Monday (Aug. 29).

Navy enters the weekend with a 0-1-1 record after falling at College of Charleston (Aug. 26) and tying Furman (Aug. 28) last week to open the campaign. Daniel Kwon scored for the Midshipmen in their 1-1 draw against Furman for Navy's lone goal early in the season. Navy was picked to finish fifth in the preseason Patriot League poll after posting an 8-9-1 mark last season. Tim O'Donohue is in his first season as head coach at Navy after joining the Midshipmen after five seasons as associate head coach at Connecticut.

UMBC played just once on the opening weekend of the season, tying Fordham, 1-1. Patrick Jean-Gilles scored for the Retrievers in the contest. UMBC was picked to finish third in the America East this season and is coming off an 11-6-3 record a season ago. Pete Caringi Jr. is in his 26th season as head coach at UMBC, he led the Retrievers to the NCAA College Cup in 2004. Prior to meeting the Huskies on Sunday, the Retrievers will host UNC Wilmington on Friday night.

NIU will be meeting both Navy and UMBC for the first time in program history.

Following this weekend's trip to Maryland, the Huskies will make their 2016 regular season home debut next weekend as they host the NIU adidas Invitational, meeting Binghamton on Friday, Sept. 9, and Utah Valley on Sunday, Sept. 11.